Ex-presidents, Appointees Should Fund Their Trips — Agyei-Darko Suggests

In order for the government to cut down profligate expending and to save money for developmental projects in the country, drastic measures should be taken to curtail expenditure on former Presidents and other appointees both past and present.

According to a former Minister of Local Government under John Kufour administration, Hon. Kwadwo Agyei-Darko, it would be prudent government shun funding foreign trips of some appointees considering the current economic downturn in the country.

However, he is of a strong opinion that the State should maintain the status quo to catering for sitting President anytime they travel as mandated by law.

“People are complaining we spent a lot on the President on foreign trips. Have we considered that of former Presidents? It’s the State which pays for their trips but they don’t bring any direct benefit to us. So why are we not talking about them? ..What are the benefits do they bring us? Hon. Adjei-Darko quizzed.

Some Ghanains including Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) are accusing President Akufo-Addo of spending millions of Cedis on foreign trips which the said amount could have been used to do something different to benefit Ghanaians.

Speaking on Ark FM morning show in an interview with Kwabena Obeng Akfrofi, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani pointed out that Ghanaians Presidents cannot exempt themselves from international assignment in the name of protecting the public purse.

“You cannot be a president and sit in your country. Ghana forms part of the international community. The more any president travels, he becomes visible and can bring investment. No president can sit down expecting to bring investors into his country. We should stop all these things”, he fumed

Hon. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko also wants the Speaker of Parliament, Right Hon. Alban Bagbin and high profile government officials to seek treatment in Ghana anytime they take ill.

“Why should Speaker and his family seek medical attention outside the country while we have Korle-Bu, 37 Military Hospital and the rest? here in the country?”, Hon. Agyei-Darko, former Minister of Local Government wondered.